Facebook Growth Strategies Understanding various techniques for growth and engagement in facebook appsNitinRajputCo-founder www.chakpak.com28th Aug 2009

Agenda

Why Facebook?User growthApprox 6MM usersGreat overlay of social contextAllows for new product featuresImproves the features

Virality Primer10 users add your appThey do some activity like publish feed, send notifications etc7 users add the app because of the activities done by aboveViral coefficient , v.c. = 7/10 = 0.7This is a single generation. The activities by these 7 added users would cause more users to join in and so onThe total # of users of the app is the summation of the Geometric series = 10,7,4.9, … = 10*(1/(1-0.7))=33 approx.

Virality PrimerSuppose v.c. = 0.9 , then the total users who add the app including these initial 10 users is 10*(1/(1-0.9))=100TakeawaysVirality is a multiplier. Can be a big multiplierViral coefficient near to 1.0 can lead to a big jump in the user addition Many of the facebook’s distribution flows are aligned to viral flows and many times these are the only options availaibleFacebook product = viral distribution + product

Facebook distribution optionsNotificationsRequests & NotificationsFeedsProfileEmailsStatusPublisherBoxesAdsFan BoxConnectComment WidgetShare

#1 - Feeds

Feeds (Publishing experience)

Feeds (Friends view)

FeedsOne of the most potent tool for growthIs the basis of most of the viral loopsUser should should feel like publishingContext of the flow (you need help)Copy of the feed (you beat 99%)Friends should feel like clicking on itNice UI/Photos. Explanatory textCall to actionResourceshttp://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Using_the_Open_Stream_APIhttp://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Facebook.showFeedDialog

#2 - Notifications

Notifications

Notifications

NotificationsDoesn’t require explicit user permission2 typesUser-userCan reach to non app usersFor growthApp-userFor engagementSample use casesChallenges,Weekly newsletters, alerts, new featuresResourcesRockYou presentation - http://www.slideshare.net/jefftee/facebook-developers-garage-march-25-2009-2-jia-shenAPI - http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Notifications.sendHow spamminess is measured - http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2205007948&topic=13262&start=30&hash=0ce1d00dde55ae7fc1d6f206621bdfc4#post71908Official policy - http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Additional_Policies_Governing_All_Applications_and_Developers#10._Notifications_Policy

#3 – Requests & Invitations

Requests & Invitations

Requests & Invitations

Requests & InvitationsWere used a lot at the launch time. FB now has allocations bucketsCan be used for flows where sending invitation is naturalAsk your relatives to join the appMatch your friends compatibility with yoursInvite members to your cause

#4 - Status

Status

StatusStatus permission is required only onceGuidelines when an application can update the status Twitter, fan apps

#5 – Profile & Tabs

Profiles & Tabs

Profiles & Tabs

Profiles & TabsSeveral steps involved in adding an app to profile. Is a long term insurance against variance in other growth channels. Is a seed to the viral flowsIs a natural fit for some flows/appsfans

#6- EmailsYou can get email send permissionCan be used for Newsletters, AlertsAs a substitute for app-user notificationsVs Notificationsbetter CTRsNeed one time explicit permission from user

#7- PublisherNot sure if it can be used for growth

Not sure if it can be used for growth

#8 – Gathering Fans

Gathering Fans

Gathering Fans

Gathering FansGather fans to send updates and feeds later onSort of notifications, but much richerBetter CTRsRe-engages the user

#9 - AdvertisingAdvertising is usually costlyWhats the lifetime value of a userWhats the per visit value of a userA high enough virality factor can make the per-visit or lifetime value of a user pay for its advertising costsCan be used for growth and for engagement

Advertising is usually costly

Whats the lifetime value of a user

Whats the per visit value of a user

A high enough virality factor can make the per-visit or lifetime value of a user pay for its advertising costs

Can be used for growth and for engagement

#10 - Leveraging existing web propertiesFan Box

Leveraging existing web propertiesComment boxhttp://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/08/05/facebook-adds-new-way-to-share-web-content-without-leaving-the-page/Can also publish to a users feedCan be embedded in an app alsoShare http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/08/05/facebook-adds-new-way-to-share-web-content-without-leaving-the-page/

#11 - Measure, Measure, MeasureYou can only improve what you measureA/B Test Flows (add app before take quiz, or between take quiz and see results? )Copy (Challenge your friends vs Invite your friends)Measure drop offs in the flow to find hindrances

Facebookconnect

SummaryFB Products = (Viral) Distribution + ProductMaximize distribution from each of the channelMeasure – you would only improve with timeBe creative

ResourcesTracking FB App platform, Who is growing – http://www.insidefacebook.com/http://www.appdata.com/FBML and Facebook platform APIshttp://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Main_PageGuidelines on FB integration points http://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Verification_ChecklistPlatform team bloghttp://wiki.developers.facebook.com/index.php/Main_Page

Questions